Your All Things Plants weekly news: March 30, 2013

There were 6 new gardening ideas posted last week:

A Pencil Makes a Great Seedling Tool

By Sashagirl
March 29, 2013
A Pencil Makes a Great Seedling Tool

Use a common lead pencil to make the first transplant of seedling from seedling tray to next size up. Fill your six-pack (or similar) cells with starter mix, then use the pencil to make the planting hole. Use the pencil tip to gently lift and separate the seedling from its seed tray. Then use the pencil tip to gently tuck the root down into the starter mix. Last, apply gentle compression to the soil-less mix around the stem and roots.

(no comments)

Save Money: Buy Clearance Plants

By GigiPlumeria
March 28, 2013
Save Money: Buy Clearance Plants

I find myself looking at clearance racks more often these days, especially after I discovered I can easily make them into beautiful plants for a fraction of the original price. All it takes is a little tender loving care. (115 words - Read the full article)

(28 comments)

ATP Podcast #11: Coping with Late Season Frost

By dave
March 27, 2013
ATP Podcast #11: Coping with Late Season Frost

It seems like the whole country is currently dealing with an extremely long winter and late frosts and freezes, and we in Texas are not being spared. Today's episode we discuss ideas, tips and techniques for dealing with frost. (77 words - Read the full article)

(9 comments)

Hydrogen Peroxide Is a Gardener's Friend

By Skiekitty
March 26, 2013
Hydrogen Peroxide Is a Gardener's Friend

After planting all of those new plants, you might have ground-in dirt on your skin. Hydrogen peroxide will bubble it away. It works the same with grass stains.

(14 comments)

Easier Planting for Shrubs

By 1AnjL
March 25, 2013
Easier Planting for Shrubs

When planting large shrubs, or several at one time, use a post hole digger to dig your holes. It speeds up planting time and makes digging easier.

(one comment)

Spring into Nursery Shopping

By jeri11
March 24, 2013
Spring into Nursery Shopping

If you shop at nurseries each month and buy some of what is blooming, you will have a garden for all seasons.

(9 comments)

The most popular images last week from our plant database:

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Xylophone Jazz') by Ladylovingdove:
Image from plant ID 183467

Photo of Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) by robertduval14:
Image from plant ID 83444

Photo of Kohleria (Kohleria bogotensis) by Gerris2:
Image from plant ID 176507

Photo of Aloe (Aloe vanbalenii) by robertduval14:
Image from plant ID 113889

Photo of (Billbergia nutans var. nutans) by Carter:
Image from plant ID 333003

Photo of Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior) by robertduval14:
Image from plant ID 92421

The most active threads this week:
Subject OP Area Replies
OT - The Porch Swing • Spring 2013 daylily Daylilies forum 104
Weather In Your Garden - Spring! daylily Daylilies forum 54
Thoughts and prayers requested farmerbell Sandbox forum 45
Oh no, I have found the lily auction enidcandles Daylilies forum 37
Experiment with Configure valleylynn Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum 33
Cycads Pot Mix sfrangu Tropicals forum 33
Hardy Succulents, Tough Plants for Every Climate by Gwen Moore Kelaides jojoe Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum 32
Clint's Excellent Chicken Grit Experience clintbrown Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum 31
Love those sale racks! JoAnn Save Money: Buy Clearance Plants 27

Some new recommendations from our members:
Marilyn recommended Garden Tool Company and wrote:

I ordered a 'type' of tool I had been wanting.

I got the Half Moon Pull Garden Hoe by DeWit Tools 63 inch handle.

http://www.gardentoolcompany.com/half-moon-pull-garden-hoe-b...

This was the first time ordering from them, but it won't be the last.

Very happy with it and am looking forward to using it when it gets warmer.

Recommended!

pniksch recommended Steve's Leaves and wrote:

Great mail order company with a huge variety of vintage indoor plants, everything from old favorites and hard-to-find varieties to new hybrid begonias (they have their own in-house breeding program). Large selection of high quality plants at reasonable prices. Check them out!

Some numbers from last week: